Author: Cédric Millet
Ilustración: Markus Erdt
Redacción: Patrick Tonn
Duración de la partida: aprox. 20 minutos

Se abre el telón para dar paso a las actuaciones más monstruosas jamás vistas. Nos alegra presentaros el mundo de “The Next MonStar”. En este espectacular concurso de talentos, las estrellas futuras más horripilantes demuestran de lo que son capaces.

Pero el jurado es muy exigente y tiene sus propias preferencias: a algunos de sus miembros les encantan las voces atronadoras; a otros, las coreografías vertiginosas o los vestuarios de miedo. Y hay a quien le gustan las actuaciones repugnantes y aterradoras. El objetivo del juego es formar el elenco que mejor se adapte al gusto del jurado y así os ganaréis también el favor del público, que os compensará con los puntos de popularidad del aplausómetro. Ganará quien obtenga el mayor número de puntos de popularidad a lo largo de tres rondas.

• 45 MonStar tokens (including 5 Mega-MonStars)

• 15 jury tokens

• 4 stages

• 4 scoring spiders

• 1 applause meter

• Focus symbol:

  The MonStar can only be placed in the yellow, green, or red area of the stage.

• Power Duo (only for the variant): Some MonStars form a Power Duo together. For each pair with the same Power Duo symbol, you receive an extra popularity point.

• Talents: each MonStar has 2 different talents. In total, there are 5 talents: fear, disgust, vocals, choreography, and costume.

1. Each of you takes a stage and places it in front of them. The scoring spider of the corresponding color is placed on the green sticky area of the

   applause meter.

2. Remove the five Mega-MonStars tokens, which are used only in the third round. Also, if you are two or three players, you only need only 10 jury tokens (2 of each talent). Only when you are four players will you use the 15 tokens.

3. Distribute the rest of MonStar and jury tokens in the center of the table face down. Next, flip over the 6 tokens of your choice (it doesn't matter if they are MonStar or belong to the jury).

4. Find the audio file that corresponds to the number of players you are. You will find the audio files to listen to and download on this page

You play take turns in a clockwise direction and for 3 rounds. Each round consists of 2 phases:

• During the selection phase, you will take the tiles to the rhythm of the audio file and you will place them on your stages. MonStars are placed in one of the three upper zones, while the judges sit in the chairs.

• Your goal is to have, in the applause phase (at the end of each round), the maximum number of talent symbols on your MonStar tiles that correspond with the talent symbols on your judge tiles. For each matching talent you will earn

  popularity points which you will mark with the scoring spider on the applause meter.

Selection phase: collect tiles

Everyone has the same opportunities to place tiles (both MonStars and judge tiles) on your stage, and to fill it completely by the end of the round. In the first round, there must remain a free judge spot, because there is always some monster who arrives late...

Which of you makes the most terrifying face? You start the first round. Start playback of the audio file.

When you hear the shaky inhale, you must flip over a tile that is face down. When you hear a bell and jubilant cheers, take one of the tiles that are face up and place it on your stage. When the shaky inhale is heard again, it will be immediately the person to your left's turn. From that moment, you will no longer be able to take or place more tiles; nor will you be able to move them around on your stage.

Attention: it is very important that you pay attention to the signals from the audio file, because, if you ignore them or don't hear them, you'll get confused and someone may lose their turn unfairly. Fair play is the most important thing in “The Next MonStar” (well, that and “don't eat the audience”).

As soon as you hear the big round of applause, the selection phase ends. Pause the audio file.

Applause phase: earn popularity points

It's time to celebrate success with your MonStars! After the selection phase, the applause will come pouring down — and with it, the popularity points (or at least we hope so).

Check all the tiles you have on the stage and perform the following actions:

1. Discard duplicates: you can only count one tile of each type (either MonStar or judge). Therefore, you will have to decide which tile you keep of each character and place the others in the center.

2. Flip over MonStars that are not in the correct spot: if a MonStar is in a spot on the stage that does not match the color of its spotlight, flip it over.

3. Count the popularity points: compare the talent symbols on your MonStar tiles with the symbols on the judge tiles. For each talent symbol that matches, you will receive one point. For each tile that you have had to flip over, you will lose one point.

4. Move the scoring spiders:

   mark your score on the applause meter using the spider. When you pass the 30 star, you must flip the spider and place it on the starred side. That way you'll know you already have more than 30 popularity points.

When you have placed the spider to mark your score, put all the tiles from your stage in the center. Flip the tiles, shuffle them well, and reveal six.

Resume the audio file. This time, the person to the left of the scariest one starts.

• Round 1: you can only count on 2 of the 3 judge tokens and you play without Mega-MonStar tokens.

• Round 2: you can count on all the judge tokens, but you play without Mega-MonStar tokens.

• Round 3: you can count on all the judge tokens and, at the start of the selection phase, you add, mixing them, the 5 Mega-MonStar tokens face down.

The game ends after the third round.

Which scoring spider is furthest ahead on the applause-o-meter?

Congratulations: you have conquered the hearts of the audience and can consider yourself “The Next MonStar”. At least until the next contest is held; because one thing is clear, and that is that The show must go on.

Is there a tie? In that case, the winner is the one who obtained more popularity points in the third applause phase.

With this variant, you add even more excitement to the game and perhaps also take a little pleasure in others' misfortune. Now you'll also have to look out for the Duo Power symbols that appear on some MonStar tiles. Try to form pairs with the same symbol on your stage. For each Duo Power pair, there will be a bonus of one popularity point during the applause phase.

But don't celebrate too soon! Whoever has a MonStar tile with the Duo Power symbol will be able to steal a tile with the same symbol from another stage. To do this, you only have to wait to hear the cheers of jubilation during the selection phase and then you can take the Duo Power tile you're missing instead of taking a tile from the center. The person from whom you took the tile will have one fewer tile on their stage until the end of the round. Does that seem cruel? Of course it is! After all, you are monsters.